ILAS PG Conference | Page 21

Alison Aries Institute for Science and Technology in Medicine Sensory stimulation of the foot and ankle early post-stroke: A feasibility study (MoTaStim –Foot) Sensory stimulation/retraining to the lower limb post-stroke is a part of conventional clinical practice, however, insufficient information is currently available to either support or refute this practice. Stroke affects 15 million people in the world and approximately 150,000 people in the United Kingdom annually. Walking is a priority for many stroke survivors. The importance of sensory input to influence motor function is now widely agreed upon in order to perform voluntary activity with good coordination and control. Increasing the ability to feel may, therefore, help a stroke survivor to balance and walk. Three types of rehabilitation strategies have been proposed to facilitate successful goal attainment: priming, which prepares the sensorimotor system for motor function; augmenting techniques, to enhance the sensory input during activity; and task specific practice. Protocols for Mobilization and Tactile Stimulation (to prime the sensory system), wearing textured insoles (to augment) and task specific walking training will be developed and explored in the MoTaStim-Foot feasibility study. At the present time there is insufficient evidence available to enable informed decisions to be made regarding the place for sensory stimulation/re-education to the LL post stroke in clinical practice; the MoTaStim-Foot feasibility study is an important step towards evidence-based rehabilitation poststroke. Postgraduate Conference 2016 Page 20